


Private

by aishahiwatari



Series: Trektober 2019 [16]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Divorce, Fade to Black, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Matchmaking, Private Investigator Jim, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-16
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-12-20 17:04:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21060146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aishahiwatari/pseuds/aishahiwatari
Summary: "Are you following me?" Leonard asks, even though it's a ridiculous question, because he knows the answer and it's probably not the best thing to ask the stalker he's seen three times today; on the street, lurking outside the hospital and now sitting in his car outside Leonard's house. Nobody's ever going to confess to that sort of thing-"Oh. Yeah. Sorry. My name's Jim. I'm a private investigator. Your wife hired me because she thinks you're cheating on her."(for day 16 of Trektober 2019, Wildcard)





	Private

"Are you following me?" Leonard asks, even though it's a ridiculous question, because he knows the answer and it's probably not the best thing to ask the stalker he's seen three times today; on the street, lurking outside the hospital and now sitting in his car outside Leonard's house. Nobody's ever going to confess to that sort of thing-

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry. My name's Jim. I'm a private investigator. Your wife hired me because she thinks you're cheating on her."

Leonard sort of feels like he's maybe being pranked.

"We're separated, it's no business of hers what I do."

"Well, you're not divorced and adultery is grounds for divorce, so-"

"I know that! She cheated on me!"

"She says it's because you were cheating on her already."

"Well- I wasn't. And I'm not. And I hope whatever she's paying you isn't a lot, because you are terrible at this."

Jim, who is implausibly gorgeous with beautiful eyes and tousled blond hair and a mischievous smile that Leonard could not possibly have failed to notice, just shrugs. "I've been following you for four weeks, so-"

"You have not."

There's no way. Leonard is newly single, has always been open about his bisexuality, would not have missed this outrageously attractive man being so close to him, not in a million years. It cannot be possible that he just didn't notice, he knows, as Jim tilts the screen of his camera in Leonard's direction and shows him the collection of photos he has, depicting Leonard going about his day in various outfits and locations, holding coffees and his briefcase and an umbrella, wearing on one occasion the sweater that he accidentally shrunk in the wash two weeks ago. "Fuck!"

"Yeah. I usually turn up something by now. An affair, or drugs, or a fight club membership. I've told her I don't think there is anything, but she says to keep trying and she's paying my rent this month so- here I am."

Leonard sighs. That sounds about right. Jocelyn is nothing if not persistent, although if he's honest he'd thought better of her than this. He hadn't expected to be followed and professionally judged for the sake of whatever financial recompense she's after now. They've agreed to be civil.

"Supposed to be below freezing tonight," he says, although even he's not exactly sure what he's offering by saying it.

"I'll be alright. Thanks, though." Jim smiles, gestures to his coat, to a thermos of coffee and a couple of paperback books on the passenger seat.

"Are you planning on staying here all night?"

"Its kind of what I do."

Leonard's not convinced. But it hasn't exactly been warm this past month and Jim has somehow survived all the same, so he lets it go.

Not any of his business, anyway.

He runs into Jim in the morning, buying coffee. Of course he knows Leonard's routine, and would be there at the same time as him. He looks exhausted, has a cup in each hand.

"Should you be drinking that? Don't you need to sleep?"

Jim has dark circles under his eyes, but he's still sharp, still hands Leonard one of the cups and its exactly what he would have ordered himself. "I'll have a nap while you're in surgery. You should probably get going, actually, or you'll be late."

"You're a twisted son of a bitch."

Jim shrugs, bites into a danish. "Good thing I decided to stay on the right side of the law, then, right?"

God help him, Leonard likes him.

"Do you eat meat?"

"'Scuse me?"

"I was going to make lasagne for dinner. If we're going to be in the same place anyway, you might as well have some with me."

Jim contemplates, chewing slowly, his gaze intense. "Alright. See you at dinner."

"It'll be about-" Leonard stops himself, because Jim knows what time it'll be. He probably knows Leonard's schedule better than he does, at this point. "See you then."

He gets a little wave as he goes. And although he looks, because he knows Jim must be following him, he doesn't see him.

This is not how normal people meet.

It's not how they live, either, or it's certainly not how they should, Jim trailing after him all day and then coming in to eat dinner, to make surprisingly friendly conversation, to show no inclination towards awkwardness at their situation and then volunteer to do the washing up. He's intelligent, funny and outrageously attractive.

"It'd be better for your job, right? To be close? You could stay in the guest room," Leonard offers, and he's not even had a glass of wine with dinner so he knows he sounds like a murderer or worse, but Jim has seen everything he's done for the last month and arguably knows him better than anyone on the planet.

"You don't mind?"

"Surprised you haven't broken in already, with how thorough you are."

Jim grimaces.

Leonard sighs. "You can do the washing up."

"But how will I know where everything goes?" Jim asks him, faux-innocent, and he laughs and dodges the towel Leonard throws at him on his way out of the kitchen.

He should not be so damn cute.

He also should not be walking around, fresh out the shower, with nothing on but a towel around his waist, water dripping over toned shoulders and his taut, defined chest, just a light trail of hair leading down from his navel-

Leonard gets caught staring. He glares back. "Put some damn clothes on. I'm a married man."

Jim beams at him. "You got it, Bones."

Leonard's- distracted, alright? He doesn't ask about the nickname right away and when he eventually does, it's already stuck.

Apparently Jim has codenames for all his- clients? Targets?

"Subjects," Jim corrects, around a mouthful of risotto because Leonard is still feeding him, for some reason. "I'm basically an artist. And it just helps when I'm making notes, you know? Bit less personal."

"You literally have photos of me shirtless in my back yard, I think we're a little past personal."

Jim's lips twist in rueful agreement. He hasn't pushed it, but every now and then his gaze will roam over Leonard, like he's contemplating doing something about the crackling sexual tension between them. Leonard wants him, itches to touch him and claim him and cross that line, but he's still not entirely sure this whole thing isn't an act, designed to prevent him from receiving fair treatment in divorce court.

If it is an act, it's an especially good one. Jim holds back too, like he's aware of the stakes and trying to be honourable about the whole thing.

Leonard sort of wishes he wouldn't. At least if Jim breaks their fragile balance, he can deny some responsibility for it.

He's enjoying the anticipation, unfamiliar and heady, but he knows this is short-lived, unsustainable. He still doesn't trust himself to think about what happens after that day in court.

In fact, he thinks as Jim leans against his kitchen counter, sipping coffee from one of Leonard's mugs, face a little lax with exhaustion but eyes still bright, smile lazy, he's going to go ahead and not think about it at all.

Instead, he's not going to think about anything except the softness of Jim's lips, the taste of that coffee on his tongue, the sweet little moan he lets out when Leonard pins him against that counter and kisses him like he's been dying to for weeks.

Jim's not much better, all-but throws his mug down with a clatter and threads his fingers through Leonard's hair, guides him into how best to fit their mouths together and makes a pleased sound when Leonard's tongue finds his.

He's gorgeous, solid and strong beneath Leonard's wandering hands, so damn warm it feels like he might burn Leonard's fingers. Responsive, too, he arches against Leonard's chest, grinds against the thigh Leonard pushes between his, clutches and clings until they've been sharing the same air for too long to breathe properly.

"Stop camping out on my drive," Leonard urges between a few last, lingering kisses. "Stay with me instead."

He's been waiting too long to be concerned about the consequences, has lost too much to justify even the chance of missing this opportunity.

"But- your house." Jim, bless him, he tries.

"She can have it."

Its fucking stupid, Leonard knows. Hes not thinking clearly. But he hasn't been able to, since Jim strolled so casually into his life, and maybe he never will again unless he can figure out whether they can make this work.

But Jim keens, overwhelmed like nobody's ever offered to sacrifice hundreds of thousands of dollars for him before.

Leonard would do it twice over.

But first- "Bed," he urges, into Jim's mouth to breathless agreement and a hand wrapping tightly around his wrist, pulling him in the right direction.

-

Leonard realises, afterwards, that he's put Jim in a compromising position, and not just in the fun way. Jim's the one who will have to tell Jocelyn, the one who has to report back what they've chosen to do despite the risks, when it was Leonard's decision that broke his resolve.

So he picks up his phone, and he messages her, letting her know he slept with her private investigator, and she can have the house.

She texts back, "I don't want that horrible damn house, Leo. I just want you to be happy. You're welcome." with more multicoloured hearts that he can find it in himself to count.

"She set us up," he says out loud, stunned by the realisation, only notices his poor choice of words when Jim tenses against his side. "No! I mean- she knew we'd be good together. This is what it was all about."

"She has paid me thousands of dollars."

"Is it- worse if I say I'll pay her back?"

"Now, I don't know." Jim's not tense any more, but he is getting up, swinging a leg over Leonard to straddle his waist, trailing fingertips through Leonard's chest hair as he adds, playfully. "How could I possibly start to repay you?"

He rocks his hips against Leonard's thoroughly spent cock, maybe not so spent after all, and moves easily when Leonard draws him in for another kiss.

"I think we can work something out."

-

"You- you do know this isn't about obligation or-"

"Oh my God, Bones, shut up."

**Author's Note:**

> I’m also on [Tumblr](https://aishahiwatari.tumblr.com/)


End file.
